US intel chief: Russia will target 2018 US midterm elections

CNN

10:37 AM, Feb 13, 2018

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WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 13: U.S. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats prepares to deliver remarks, arguing for the renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act at the Heritage Foundation October 13, 2017 in Washington, DC. The conservative think tank hosted national security leaders for a seminar about the controversial 702 provision, which authorizes the government to conduct warrantless electronic surveillance to collect, use and disseminate communications stored by U.S. internet service providers, among other things. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Chip Somodevilla

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US Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats warned Tuesday that the current risk of a global conflict is higher than at any time since the end of the Cold War.

"The risk of interstate conflict, including among great powers, is higher than at any time since the end of the Cold War," Coats told lawmakers during a hearing on worldwide threats before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

"The most immediate threats of regional interstate conflict in the next year come from North Korea and from Saudi-Iranian use of proxies in their rivalry," he said. "At the same time, the threat of state and non-state use of weapons of mass destruction will continue to grow."

Specifically, Coats noted that US adversaries and "malign actors," including Russia and China will use several tactics, including cyber and information warfare to challenge US influence around the world.

Coats also highlighted the increasing threat posed by North Korea's unwillingness to "negotiate its nuclear weapons and missiles away," as the regime views its nuclear weapons as "critical to its security."

According to Coats, the intelligence community remains unanimous in its assessment that Russia will target the 2018 US midterm elections.

"We expect Russia to continue using propaganda social media, false flag personas, sympathetic spokesmen and other means to influence to try to build on its wide range of operations and exacerbate social and political fissures in the United States," he said. "There should be no doubt that Russia perceives that its past efforts as successful and views the 2018 US midterm elections as a potential target for Russian influence operations."